How to pitch a magazine: Many people don’t know how to do it so here is a bare minimum template.
WHO YOU ARE (2 lines max). Most editors just want to know where you’re based and the kind of writer you are.
WHAT THE IDEA IS (1 paragraph max).
WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT (this can be 2 lines to 1 paragraph max). How do you know the subject? We want to know you can write this story, not what your LinkedIn looks like.
QUESTIONS? This is an opportunity to invite conversation that could expand on the above. That’s why it’s not necessary to say everything in your initial email. Ask if the editor has what they need, and make it clear you’re interested in working with them.
DEADLINE (if you have one, i.e., the Biennale starts in 7 days and you need to book a ticket), this is a good place to indicate it. Most editors would rather be given a set window to respond than look at simultaneous submissions.
Remember that nothing ventured, nothing gained. As a freelancer I found I needed to have many healthy ideas in circulation to get the right number of assignments. The ones that don’t make it free you up to do the ones that will.
And finally, don’t fear failure — it’s part of the work of professional writing and all creative pursuits. The more experienced you get, the less you'll be attached to an individual pitch and more to the arc of your career.
Oh yes, and THANK your editor! That should have been the last thing
I remember people's names and the conversations we had for years. Editing and the exchange of communication is a gift.
